Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REFUSF COMPACTOR
FIFI n OF INVFNTIC)N
This invention relates to refuse compactors and more particularly to a
small self-contained compaction unit which is designed to be emptied by a
conventional front-loading or rear-loading compactor vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
The waste industry is always looking for ways to improve the
volumeric efficiency and environmental integrity of waste storage
containers while reducing overall costs. The simplest way to improve the
volumeric efficiency of a storage container is to compact the waste
mechanically inside the container, thereby increasing the density of the
waste.
Current designs of front-loading or rear-loading containers can only
have their contents compacted by coupling the container to a separate,
fixed compaction head. This system has several disadvantages including
high spillage and leakage rates during the separation and discharge
operations. Furthermore, the compaction head must be permanently fixed
to the ground thereby limiting its versatility and requiring the assignment of
a permanent designated access area.
Another problem encountered by waste authorities is that in high
density application.s such as the cities of Europe, Asia and The Middle East
the space and access restrictions caused by narrow streets and parked
vehicles are such that conventional compactor vehicles cannot get close
enough to the waste product to operate efficiently. The current solution to
this problem is the use of high numbers of collectors who push hand-carts
through the streets manually loading the waste product and returning to a
central collection point where they wait for a truck mounted compactor. At
this stage the waste product is transferred from the cart to the compactor
and the collector resumes the run with his empty cart. Although this
system may be acceptable when labour rates were very low, spiralling
labour costs demand that an effective alternative be found.
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SUMMARY OF INVFNTION
According to the present invention there is provided a refuse
compactor comprising a storage chamber or container having an opening
thereto, a lid for closing the opening and a compaction blade arranged to
5 compact the waste material within the storage chamber or container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a refuse compactor
according to one embodiment of the invention with
the lid open,
Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the lid closed,
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the compaction
blade in operation,
Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the compactor
shown in Fig. 1 from the other side showing a
bin unloading mechanism,
Fig. 5 is a front view of the compactor shown in Fig. 1,
Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism
shown in Figs. 1 to 3,
Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the compactor blade and cutter
bar shown in Figs. 2 and 3,
Fig. 8 is a plan view of a refuse compactor according to
a second embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 9 is a front view of the refuse compactor shown in
Fig. 8,
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a refuse compactor according
to a second embodiment of the invention with the
lid closed,
Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the compactor shown in
Fig. 10 with the lid open,
Figs. 12 to 19 show the manner of operation of a further
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embodiment of the compaction system, and
Fig. 20 is a side-elevational view of a refuse compactor
according to a third embodiment of the invention.
The refuse compactor 10 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 includes a storage
container 1 1, a lid 12, a compaction blade 13 and a self-contained power
unit 1 4.
The storage container 11, in this instance is nominally of 3 cubic
metre capacity and is formed into a semicircular shape with flat sides from
light gauge sheet steel and then fully welded to provide a totally leak-proof
1 0 container.
The semicircular shape eliminates square corners where waste
product can stick and generate rust. The shape also simplifies the
construction, reduces the number of welds and thereby significantly
improves the manufacturing costs.
A set of castor type wheels 15 are fitted to the base of the storage
container to allow the unit to be moved around.
As can be seen in Fig. 5 a pair of lifting sockets 16 or equivalent
applicable attachments is provided to allow the unit to be lifted for
discharge and/or transportation.
The lid 12 of the compactor 10 is constructed from a formed, light
gauge, sheet steel and is pivoted about an axle 17 which runs the full
width of the container. The unit is well balanced which allows the entire
assembly to be opened and closed manually.
Housed inside the lid 12 is the compaction blade 13 which is
fabricated from reinforced, pressed sheet steel. The blade 13 which also
pivots around the full width axle 17, is driven through an arc of travel of
about 90 degrees by means of twin, double acting, hydraulic cylinders 18
which are attached to the inside of the lid at point 19 and to the blade 13
at point 20. This action compacts the waste product inside the container
to a nominal ratio of 4 to 1, thereby providing an equivalent to 12 cubic
metres of waste storage.
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The compaction blade 13 is designed in such a way that there is
quite a large clearance around the three sweeping sides. This gap allows a
certain amount of product to bypass around the edges of the blade,
particularly under high compaction forces. This bypass product, however,
is scraped off the back of the compaction blade as it is rotated back out of
the container by three, closely toleranced, angled cutter bars 21 which are
fixed to the inside of the container just under the opening (see Fig. 7).
The lid 12 which is normally left in the closed position to seal the
container 11 is opened for loading of waste product. Once the product has
been deposited into the container, the lid is closed and latched manually by
lip clamps 22.
Once the clamps 22 are securely in place, a locking bar 23 engages
two proximity switches 24 thus allowing the compaction electrical circuit
to be completed. This feature prevents the compactor from working
unless the lid is safely closed and locked into position.
The design of the compaction chamber allows the container and
compaction blade to be segmented with each panel operating
independently. This feature allows for multiple products such as
recyclables to be separated and compacted individually. In this
configuration the lid is also divided and operated individually for
independent discharge facilities.
The compactor 10 may be fitted with an integral bin loading device
30 (see Fig. 4) which allows the lifting, tipping and discharge of
conventional mobile garbage bins. The container location bar 31 permits
the unit to lift 120-660 litre containers and to discharge at any position
along the width of the compactor thereby improving the load distribution.
This location bar 31 also allows two or three mobile bins to be loaded
simultaneously.
The bins are hooked onto the location bar and a mechanical clamp is
applied to ensure that they are securely locked in place during the discharge
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operation. The loader can, optionally, open the lid of the compactor
automatically when lifting the bins for discharge.
The loader can be operated from the packer hydraulic power unit.
The loader can also be fitted to a non-compacting version of the 3 cubic
metre container, in which case the loader would be powered by either a
hand pump or a DC power pack.
The compactor with or without bin loading device can be provided in
a highly mobile version by the installation of large (trailer type) wheels 40
at the loading side and a steering type jockey wheel 41 and draw bar 42 at
the other side. These wheels are installed instead of the small caster type
wheels and permit the unit to be easily moved by hand using the draw-bar
which has an integral safety-brake. The unit can also be towed by a motor
vehicle using a towball attachment on the draw-bar. This draw-bar is
designed to fold out of the way during loading by the collection vehicle.
The refuse compactor 100 shown in Figs. 10 to 19 includes a
storage/compaction chamber 101, a lid 102 and a compaction blade 103.
In this instance, the storage/compaction chamber 101 is nominally of
3 cubic metre capacity and has an opening 104 thereto for loading and
discharge of the waste products.
The storage/compaction chamber 101 is normally constructed from
light gauge sheet steel which is fully welded to provide a completely sealed
and therefore leakproof container. Optionally, the steel chamber 101 may
be galvanised for added protection, but it can be constructed from other
materials such as stainless steel, fibreglass or high impact plastic depending
on the applicational requirements.
The storage/compaction chamber 101 is normally constructed in
with semi-circular walls 105 and flat sides 106. This shape simplifies the
fabrication process, reduces the number of corners where rust could occur
and promotes easy discharge of the product when the container is inverted
to be emptied. The side profiles of the storage/compaction chamber 101
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are tapered to allow the base containers to be stacked inside each other,
thereby reducing the shipping/transportation costs.
The side plates 106 have lifting sockets 107, pivot bearings 108 and
cylinder devices 109. Lifter mounts are attached when the compactor is
5 assembled at its destination.
The storage/compaction chamber 101 can be fitted with castor type
wheels 1 10 to permit the compactor to move around by hand. For some
applications larger wheels and a draw bar can be fitted to allow the
compactor to move more easily.
The storage/compaction container 101 can be produced in a range of
alternative sizes and shapes, depending on the applicational requirements.
The compaction blade 103, is hydraulically powered, about a pivot
point 108 to move through an arc of travel to compact the waste product
into the chamber 101. The compaction blade 103 is fixed to a torque tube
111 which is supported by bearings at each end of the storage/compaction
and is powered by a variation of actuator formats to provide specific
benefits for specific applications.
The normal format of compaction blade 103 actuation uses twin
hydraulic cylinders 112 which are mounted externally to each side-plate
106 and drive the torque tube 1 1 1 via crank arms 1 13. This format offers
a low cost method of actuation but has the disadvantages of limited
effective rotational ability (120 degrees), poor cylinder protection and can
only drive a one-piece compaction plate. As the rod of cylinder 1 12 is
extended or retracted the crank arm 113, torque tube 11 1 and compaction
blade 103 are rotated about the pivot bearings 108.
Another compaction format which is shown in Figs. 12 to 19 uses t
one or more cylinders 1 12 which mount to the torque tube 1 1 1 via the rod
clevis 1 14. Twin mechanical linkages 1 15 and 1 16 connect the barrel 1 13
of the cylinder 1 12 to the compaction blade 103 on one side and the body
of the storage/compaction container 101 on the other. This format permits
a greater effective rotational ability ~up to 270 degrees), good cylinder
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protection because they are enclosed within the compactor body and the
ability to individually drive segments of the compaction plate. As the rod
of cylinder 1 12 is retracted the link arms 1 15 and 116 are forced apart
causing the compaction blade 103 to rotate about the torque tube bearings.
The embodiment shown in Fig. 20 has twin, high impact plastic, lids
200 which are attached to each side plate 106 of the compactor via hinges
201 . As the compaction blade 103 is rotated upwards it contacts the lids
200 and mechanically open the doors to allow access. The lids are biased
by springs 202 to ensure that they close automatically as the compaction
blade 103 is rotated downwards. A seal 104 fitted to the bottom of each
lid 200 ensures that the lids seal the weather out and the odours in.
In another embodiment a single, high impact plastic, lid is hinged at
the rear of the opening to the storage/compaction body. Again, in this
embodiment the door is opened mechanically by the upward travel of the
compaction plate and closed automatically by spring assistance.
The lids can be manufactured from other materials, including clear
plastics and light weight steel or aluminium.
The compaction plate movement is controlled by means of positional
sensors with an over-ride by pressure sensors to prevent stalling. The
compaction plate is normally stored in the fully pressed position, thereby
holding the product compressed and reducing the action of spring-back. In
this position the hopper lids are closed and the unit is sealed, preventing
water from entering or odours from escaping.
To operate the computer, the "Open" buttons are depressed and the
cylinders operate to rotate the compaction plate upwards to the open
position. As the plate contacts the hopper lids, they are forced open
allowing access for loading. A positional switch turns the system off once
it has reached the "Full Open" position. Once the compaction chamber has
been filled, the "Pack" buttons are depressed and the compaction plate is
allowed to close, at a controlled rate, under gravity until the hopper doors
have been closed completely. At this, hydraulic power is applied to the
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compaction cylinders and the plate is forced through to the "Fully Packed"
position where a positional sensor again turns the machine off. If the
product is already packed to such an extent that the plate cannot reach the
"Fully Packed" position then a pressure over-ride will detect the excessive
5 load and turn the machine off. An optional indicator can warn the operator
of this condition so that he knows that the compactor is almost full.
Under normal conditions, the compaction plate and lids are opened
completely prior to collection of the container by the frontloading
compacting vehicle. This permits the product to discharge freely from the
10 container when inverted by the collection vehicle.
The compaction cylinders are capable of producing extremely high
forces, even at the edge of the blade and therefore can easily achieve
compaction ratios in the order of 3 or 4 to 1. The result is that the 3 cubic
metre container will hold up to 12 cubic metres of waste product or up to
15 2.5 tonnes payload.
The compaction system design has paid special attention to the
safety aspect of the operation. The hydraulic system is interlocked with a
safety switch system which only permits the blade to fall (at a controlled
rate) under its own weight until such time as the hopper lid has closed
20 completely. At this time, only, can power be applied to the compaction
cylinders. The compactor operation can be controlled from a remote
position (out of harms way) or by a two-handed "deadman" control system
on the compactor itself. The result is that serious injury is impossible
because if there is any obstruction preventing the plastic hopper lid from
25 closing the machine will not operate, thereby providing a truly foolproof,
yet simple, safety system.
While the basic compaction module is produced in a 3 cubic metre
capacity size, it can easily be manufactured in narrower, wider or longer
formats to best suit the application requirements. For the same reason the
30 container can be produced in other shapes, including; a square sided
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configuration to allow stacking for improved storage efficiencies and round
for increased strength for high pressure applications.
The compaction chamber can be divided into multiple compartments
by installing divider plates and modifying the compaction plate to provide
5 appropriate individual sections. In this way more than one type of product
can be handled by a single unit. This is ideal for multifraction recycling
applications and co-mingled general service requirements.
When the "Follower Type" hydraulic cylinder compaction version is
used for multifraction compaction, independent cylinders can be fitted to
10 each blade section, thereby allowing totally independent compaction of
each type of product.
For applications where compaction is not an advantage, such as
incompressible product, the compaction blade can be removed providing a
single or multiple compartment solid waste or recyclable products storage
15 container. In this format the storage compartment does not necessarily
need to be constructed from steel, thereby allowing the use of less
expensive or special purpose materials such as fibreglass, plastics, etc.
The hopper door can also be replaced with a fully sealed lid and
internal baffles can be installed, when necessary, thereby allowing the
20 storage container to hold liquids. The construction of the container is
strong enough to permit positive pressurisation and vacuum as possible
methods of liquid transfer. This version can be used for liquids other than
waste product, thereby further enhancing the versatility of the module to
encompass applications such as water storage for emergency services and
25 street washing.
,~ For less viscous fluids, such as cement for contaminated waste
handling, an internal, helical shape agitator blade can be fitted to mix the
product and prevent curing as well as providing an alternative method of
emptying of the container. The agitator blade is supported and driven by
30 means of twin hydraulic wheel motors mounted to the side plates of the
storage container.
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The design means that a simple crane truck and trailer can be used
to transport cement to construction sites in 3 cubic metre batches (up to 4
at a time) without the cost and inconvenience of specially designed transit
mixer vehicles. ~,
This added advantage of this system is that it allows a number of
containers (full of product) to be stored on site until required while being
agitated using a separate, self-contained, hydraulic power unit. This
system also provides the added benefit that the small storage modules can
be handled by a conventional site crane to position the load where it is
needed, thereby eliminating the need for expensive truck mounted concrete
pumps.
For wet food waste applications the agitator can be incorporated
with a steam generator to provide sterilisation of the product whilst in
transit. This process allows the product to be fed to some animals rather
than disposed of at a landfill.
Various modifications may be made in details or design and
construction without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention.
